The present invention relates to a connector.
Conventionally-known connectors include front-lock connectors having a lever in the front part of the housing (in the insertion opening side) and back-lock connectors having a lever in the back part of the housing.
The housing accommodates electrically-conductive contacts. Each contact includes a pair of arms which are positioned on the upper and lower sides of a flat cable. The flat cable is inserted between the pair of arms. When the lever is operated in this state, the pair of arms sandwich the upper and lower surfaces of the flat cable with the front ends thereof about a fulcrum, provided between the both arms, as a center.
In this process, the rotation force of the lever acts on the front end side of each arm with respect to the fulcrum in a front-lock connector. On the other hand, in a back-lock connector, the rotation force of the lever acts on the back end side of each arm with respect to the fulcrum. In other words, the front-lock connector is configured to hold the flat cable by causing the rotation force of the lever to directly act in such a direction as to close the front end of the connector. On the other hand, the back-lock connector holds the flat cable at the front end, which is closed by causing the rotation force of the lever to act in such a direction as to open parts of the arms backward of the fulcrum of the connector. The front-lock and back-lock connectors, therefore, differ from each other in position where the rotation force of the lever acts on the contacts, such as forward of or backward of the fulcrum. However, the back-lock connectors can include space to accommodate the laid-down lever in the backward of the contacts and can have a lower profile than the front-lock connectors have.
Japanese Patent Laid-open Publication No. 2008-4404 describes a back-lock connector. In the back-lock connector, the cam portion made of synthetic resin is configured to slide on an insulator made of synthetic resin while minimizing sliding on the metallic contacts. This can very effectively prevent the cam portion from being worn even when an actuator is repeatedly turned, and the cam portion can, therefore, keep the shape thereof.